Process of forming welting.



W. B. ARNOLD.

PROCESS OF FORMING WELTING. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1912.

1,059,698. Patented Apr. 22, 1913 messes: Imaveiwiio 7 To cilllfw hiomz't may concern WILLIAM B. ARNOLD, OF NORTH ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

p ;B'c it known that I, l l ILLILUE Bi ARNOLD,

afcitizen of the United States, and a resident orth Abington, iin, the.county of l lymouth' and, State of Massachusetts, have nvented an"Improvement in Processes t 'Forming elting,. o'f which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing like p r s-Y This invention relates to the process of forming and applying weltingto boots and shoes. i i

In order that the principle of the in vention may, be. readilyunderstood, I shall set? forth the steps constituting the process andthe best lnode known to me for carrying the processv into effect.

In thefaceompanying drawing, I have 'shown'the. welts produced by myprocess and have therein indicated the steps invOlved in applying thesame to boots or shoes and infinishing the welt when so applied. I vReferring more particularly to the draw ing; Figure 1 isla plan view ofa portion of a ,duplexwelting strip constructed in accordance \vithmyinvention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through said strip, the,1ine of seve 'ancc being indicated; Fig.

3 is a view similar to. Fig. 2, but represent ing the" two iweltingstrips segregated; and Figs. at, and 5 are partial transverse sectionstaken through a shoe and representing the manner of applying thereto thetwo welting strips produced in accordance with my inv ention. p

p 'The high cost of leather renders necessary the saving of all.possible material. It istliercfore extremely desirable that the \veltsof boots and shoes be out with the least possible waste. \Velts areusually cut as strips of indeterminate length from a blank by cuts whichare normal to the :laces of the blank, so tl at the welt is rectangularin cross section when cut from the blank.

In order that the welt may beproperly applied'to the boot or shoe, it isdesirable that educed thickness or usually given to tapered. This ta perthe welt, after the fivelting has been cut from the blank, though insome cases a strip wide-enough for two welts is cut from a blank, asshown, for examplqin Figs-3 and 6- of the patent to Hadaway,No..744,752,

rnoonss or FORMING WE-LTING.

Specificationof Letters Patent. a Ap plicat'ion filed November 22,1912.Serial No. 732,803.

Patented Apr. 22', 1913.

the said strip-being cut into two welts by a cut .ineli'nedto the facesof the strip, as there indicated. VVelts vary in width, but arecuston'iarily from one-half to threequartcrs of an inch in Width.Assuining'the normalavelt to be about one-half inch in width, I amenabled inthe practice of my invention to save a portion of the leatherdepending upon and substantially equaling the inclination of the beveledinner edge of the Welt. Assuming that the extreme width of a welt is tobe one-half inch, and assummg that each welt sho 'ild have a taperedlnner edge to permlt It to be secured in more effective manner to theshoe, instead of cutting the leather blank into strips each rectangularin cross SGCUOH and onehalf inch in width along .each face, I cut theblank,

in order to form a. duplex welt, into two strips by three continuouslongitudinal cuts,

two of which are normal to the surface of I the blank and are spacedapart a distance equaling the width of two Welting strips,. that is, thewidth of the duplex strip,- thereby to form the outeredges of suchduplex strips, and by an intermediate longitudinal cut extendingentirely through the blank at an inclination to the surfaces thereof toform the inner edges of said strips. Either previous to, simultaneouslywither subsequent to the cutting of the duplex Welting strips, I groovethe flesh face of the material along lines adjacent to the inner edgesof the said strips. These grooves are comparatively shallow, andtherefore each groove is spaced from the extreme inner edge of eachstrip by .a continuous or unbroken ridge formed by the flesh surface ofthewelt 111g strip, such ridge being of the full, unimpaired thicknessor the \velting strip, and hence providing a most eliicient stitchanchoring shoulder. Moreover,.l save a step in' the manufacture of oneof the welting strips, because heretofore it has been custernary to cutthe welt-into a rectangular form in cross section and thereafter tobevel the inner edge. I am enabled to dispense with said beveling asaseparate operation, and after the welting strip has been applied to theboot orqshoe, I then remove from the inner edge of thevwelting strip byone operation all the material required to be severed at any time fromthe inner edge of such melting, strip subsequent to the separationofsuch welting strip from the stock.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I have in 'Figspl, 2 and 3represented at 1, 2 a du lex welt, the flesh face wheneof is indicate at3, 3 and the rain face whereof is indicated at 4, 4'. T is duplexWelting strip has been severed from the stock by two continuouslongitudinal cuts normal"i 'to;the surface of the blank and pagfil aparta distance equalin the width f ts 0.. two Welting strips, there y toform the outerpedges of said twowelting strips or duplex'welting strip,said two cuts being in- ,dicated at 5, 6. The duplex strip is severedinto two welting strips by an intermedi- .ate longitudinal cut 7extending entirely through the blank at an unvarying an le,- that is, bya single cutting operation e ected by a single severing blade inclinedto the surface of. the strip. In this manner, the inner edge 8' 59 feach strip is inclined. It will be noted that in the case of the weltingstrip 1', the grain face extends inwardly beyond the flesh face, Whilethe converse is true of the welting strip 2. Each of the welti-ng,strips possesses advantages flowing fronileach characteristic, as willbe set forth 'morei-ij'ully with respect to Figs. 4 and 5.

Eachwelting strip is grooved as indicated I provide a stitch anchorinshoulder, and it will be observed that in each case" the groove is atthe same distance from Y the extreme inner edge of the welt ng strip, 1measuring along a surface of said st rlps.

,Moreover, it will be observedthat in each case the cured to; the shoeinne'rjed'ge 8, 9 is of the full thickness of the welt; or in otherwords that each groove is spaced from the inner edge of the Welt by an;unbroken longitudinal ridge 12, 12 'formedby the very or actual fleshface of the i-welting strip. Thus, between the inclin'ed edge and the'st itch anchoring sho'lilde'r' o f each welting' strip there ispreserved aired thickness. of the welting is of. efxtr'eme-importance,inasmuch asi'the stitnhf by which the welt is sethrough the base of thegrooves,'iand" re the ridge between such groove andjthe inner edge ofthe Welt of less than the- 'fi'ill thickness of the welt, then saidstitchirfg is exceedingly apt to and will in practice tear through theinner edge of the Welt. If, for example, a duplex welting strip besevered intotw'o \velting strips, each of the desired Width for use, byan irregular groove orsimilar-"cut, thereby t'ofurnish an lnner inclinededge of each welt, and at the Same time to furnish a stitch receivinggroove, into which the inclined edge merges or froni which it is notseparated by a ridge 'of the. full, unimpaired thickness of the welting,then the stitch is apt to and will in practice tear through the inneredge'of the portion of the welting strip that is' between'lts groove or1l and its inclined longitl'ldinal portion thereof of the upper 13 by aline of through and through stltchin 14 extendinginto the channel 15base of the groove 10 of the welt. twill be pbserved that the grain faceof the welt 1 extends to the extreme inner edge ofsaid welt, so that thegrain faces of the npper and the welt-contact to the extreme inner edgeoffthe welt and co-act toexclude moisture. After the welt 1 has beensecured as described, the inner ed e of the welt is severed along'substantiad however, be observed that this. removal 0' superfluousmaterialstill leaves the ridge separating the groove l0ifrom' the ,inneredge .ofthe welt of the actual or full thickness of the welt, and thusprevents tearing out: of the through and through'stitching. I The weltstrip 2 is also secured to the u per 13 by a line of through and throughstitching 14 extending into the channel 15' of the insole-16 andpiercing the groove 11 of inclined at its inner edge as shown-1n Fig. A,or Whether it be beveled-or inclined at its beveling or inclinationfacilitates t e'flexin or bending of the strip in its own plane anespecially does it assist the flexing or bendplgne'. when it is bentabout the toe-of the t or shoe. In other words, the inner edge,whichever be the direction ofbeveling,

strip in'its own lane than does a square inner edge, Furt ermore whenthe strip is beveled in the direction indicated in Fig. 4- that is, asindicated at the left hand port-ions of Figs. 2 and 3it will be observ dthat the grain face'of the welt. projects yond-the flesh face thereof atthe inclined or beveled edge. The grain face is of greater st-ren h thanthe flesh face, and therefore there is essthrough the shoulder or ridgein that form of strip shown in Fig. 4 than there is in that form shownin Fig. 5, wherein the direction of beveling or inclination is such thatthe grain surface of the ridge or shoulder is of less lateral extentthan the opposite or flesh face thereof.

It will .be observed that in accordance with my process, none of thematerial has been removed from the inner edge of the welt 2 at any timeprior to the securing of said welt to'the upper 13'. Heretofore itclined cut the upper inner edge or shoulder of the welt strip prior tothe securing of the welt to the shoe, and this has necessitated adistinct separate operation. I avoid the necessity of such operationbecause of the fact that theduplex welting strip is severed welt. Thewelting strip is secured to the of the insole 16 and passing throu h thely .the line. m-w, thus removing superfluous material. It will% thewelt.- VVhether'the strip be beveled-orv lends itself more readily toflexure of; the

tendency or danger of the stitches tearing inner edge as represented inFi 5,' such .ing of the strip in or substantially in its own has beencustomary to remove by an ini more all superfluous material from theinner edge'ot' the welt and insole. Even after the removal of thesuperfluous inner edge of the welt 2, it will be observed that thegroove 11 is separated from the extreme in- I ner edge of the welt by aridge of the full such inner edge.

thickness of the welt strip, thus overcoming all. liability of the.through and through stitching to tear through the inner edge of thewelt. The beveling of the inner edge of the welt so prepares the weltthat when applied to the shoe, it is not only more elastic, but it isnecessary to cut oil far less material beyond thellines of stitching wa:and y--y than in those welts which are rectangular in cross section In"fact, it is unnecessaryto remove a substantial amount of After thewelts have been secured as described, and the extreme inner edgesthereof have been removed as stated, all outer edges of the welt may betreated in any suitable manner.

Having thus described one illustrative. embodiment of my invention, Idesire it to be understoodthat although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive senseand not forpurposes' oflimitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims. Claims:

i v 1. That process of forming welting in intermediate lengths whichconsists in cutting aleather blank into two welting strips by twocontinuous longitudinal cuts normal to the surface of the blank andspaced apart a distance equaling the width of two welt- -ing strips,thereby to form the outer edges the Patent. Ollice.

[sun] of two welting strips, eaeh'of the desired width, and by anintermediate longitudinal cut extending entirely through the blank at aninclination to the surface thereof, thereby to form the inner edges ofsaid strips,

and in grooving the flesh faceof each strip near the inclined edge, butspaced therefrom by an unbroken ridge formed by a flesh surface 'of thewelting strip, thereby to provide a stitch anchoring shoulder.

2. That process of forming welting in indeterminate lengths whichconsists of. cutting a leather blank into two welting strips by twocontinuous longitudinal eutsjiormal to the surface of the blank andspaced apart a'distanee equaling the width of two weltingstrips,'thereby to form the outer edges of two welting strips each ofthe desired widthand by an intermediate longitudinal cut extendingentirely through the blank at an unvarying angle, and which is inclinedto the faces of said blank, thereby to form the inner edges of saidstrips and in grooving the flesh face of each strip near theinclinededge. but wholly spaced therefrom by an unbrokenlongitudinalridge formed by a flesh face of the welt ing strip, of such width thatbetween the inclined edge and the stitch anchoring shoulder of eachWelting It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No.1,059,698, grantedApril 22, 1913, uponthe application of William B. Arnold, of NorthAbington, Massachusetts,-foi' an improvement in E -recesses of FormingWelt'ing, an error appears in the printed specification reduirjngcorrection as follows: Page 3, line 35, for the word intermediate readindeterminate, and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein Sigued and sealed this 2nd day of September, A. l')., 1913.

THOMAS EWING,

Commissioner of Patents.

by an inclined out. After the welt 2 has been secured to the shoe, thenby a single out along substantially the line YY, I re more allsuperfluous material from the inner edge'ot' the welt andinsole. Evenafter the removal of the superfluous inner edge of the welt 2, it willbe observed that the groove 11 is separated from the extreme in- I neredge of the welt by a ridge of the full such inner edge.

thickness of the welt strip, thus overcoming all. liability of the.through and through stitching to tear through the inner edge of thewelt. The beveling of the inner edge of the welt so prepares the weltthat when applied to the shoe, it is not only more elastic, but it isnecessary to cut oil far less material beyond thellines of stitching wa:and y--y than in those welts which are rectangular in cross section In"fact, it is unnecessaryto remove a substantial amount of After thewelts have been secured as described, and the extreme inner edgesthereof have been removed as stated, all outer edges of the welt may betreated in any suitable manner.

Having thus described one illustrative.

embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understoodthat althoughspecific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptivesenseand not forpurposes' of limitation, the scope of the inventionbeing set forth in the following claims. Claims:

i v 1. That process of forming welting in intermediate lengths whichconsists in cutting aleather blank into two welting strips by twocontinuous longitudinal cuts normal to the surface of the blank andspaced apart a distance equaling the width of two welt- -ing strips,thereby to form the outer edges the Patent. Ollice.

[sun] of two welting strips, eaeh'of the desired width, and by anintermediate longitudinal cut extending entirely through the blank at aninclination to the surface thereof, thereby to form the inner edges ofsaid strips,

and in grooving the flesh faceof each strip near the inclined edge, butspaced therefrom by an unbroken ridge formed by a flesh surface 'of thewelting strip, thereby to provide a stitch anchoring shoulder.

2. That process of forming welting in indeterminate lengths whichconsists of. cutting a leather blank into two welting strips by twocontinuous longitudinal eutsjiormal to the surface of the blank andspaced apart a'distanee equaling the width of two weltingstrips,'thereby to form the outer edges of two welting strips each ofthe desired widthand by an intermediate longitudinal cut extendingentirely through the blank at an unvarying angle, and which is inclinedto the faces of said blank, thereby to form the inner edges of saidstrips and in grooving the flesh face of each strip near theinclinededge. but wholly spaced therefrom by an unbrokenlongitudinalridge formed by a flesh face of the welt ing strip, of such width thatbetween the inclined edge and the stitch anchoring shoulder of eachWelting It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No.1,059,698, grantedApril 22, 1913, uponthe application of William B. Arnold, of NorthAbington, Massachusetts,-foi' an improvement in E -recesses of FormingWelt'ing, an error appears in the printed specification reduirjngcorrection as follows: Page 3, line 35, for the word intermediate readindeterminate, and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein Sigued and sealed this 2nd day of September, A. l')., 1913.

THOMAS EWING,

Commissioner of Patents.

